Tests for diagnosing?

The more I see my son, while at first I thought maybe reflux, I really do think it's asthma now. It's not a throat clear, it's a definite cough, and I find it's worse when he's running around playing, when there's a lot of dust in the air, after he eats sometimes and some nights when he lays down. The fact that it picks up after eating sometimes makes me wonder about food allergies. I'm wondering, what tests should I ask for my son to have to diagnose this (he's had a chronic cough for over 6 months now, and the doctor last time heard a definite wheeze in his chest)? Or should I push for any tests and instead just let them stick him on a couple puffers and see if they help (which is what they'll do).

Comments (6)

Hi there
My DS has had his cough for 2 months now. It started after his ENT wanted me to give him saline drops 3x. At first they put him on antibiotics( Zithromax and Aug) then the tried Qvair and sent us for allergy testing( No reactions) ENT wanted to take his adenoid out. He's also been on host of cough syrups.
Like you I think/thought it was his reflux coming back, he had surgery to prevent it as we'll as g tube until 3yrs old. He's had a swallow study done but that came back fine as well. ENT said cough NOT from sinus( sinus X-rays done 2x) Pul said not from lungs. Only thing left is stomach. He his symptoms r similar. Worse at night and worse after eating as we'll as we can not tickle or make him laugh a lot or that will also bring on coughing spasm.
We've done inhalers, they don't work, we done antibotics those don't work either. The next step for us is Endoscopy and pH probe. It sucks to have to go through this trial and error process. My son is 12 and tells me he's just going to live with this cough for rest of his life but I'm determined to find out the cause. It effects his day to day life way too much

That's interesting. Because we've asked him how he feels when he needs to cough (ie. does it hurt anywhere, is there pressure) and he says that it feels like someone is pushing on his belly, and he points to his belly. I asked him a couple times, do you mean your chest and pointed to his chest (thinking tightning from asthma) and he says no, and points to his belly.

I've really been trying to pay attention the last few days, when we were pouring the basement floor it was really dusty and he was HORRIBLE on those days, and it's definitely worse some nights laying down, some nights after eating but also when he's running and playing, that seems to bring it on. The fast-acting puffer does nothing to help the "spell", though it does seem to bring his peak flow numbers up some (but I also know that at 5, the peak flow test isn't all that reliable).

The only thing constant is that he says it feels like something's pushing on his belly. And that worries me. I mean, reflux wouldn't make him feel as though something's pushing on his belly.

Like you, I want to find out the cause. While it doesn't seem to upset him too much (except when it happens at night), other kids are noticing and it's only a matter of time until he starts getting teased about it. It's just not like any other cough I've ever heard.

I would start by asking the ped for a referal for a pulm and possibly GI.My oldest has asthma well both actually do and he has complaied of pressure on his belly the last couple weeks but he has coughed non stop for almost 3 weeks now.

Not sure how your ped feels about inhalers but ask if you could trial a steroid inhaler for a bit and see if it makes a difference.If there is any swelling in his upper airway then it will help reduce that.

I agree with protea. If the approaches you have been trying with your pediatrician aren't working and you suspect that asthma and/or allergies may be involved, then I think instead of asking your existing doctor to run particular tests you should be asking for doctor for referral to a specialist who can work with you in figuring out what would be an appropriate diagnostic and treatment regimen.

Some people do work with pulmonologists. We actually don't, our son's asthma is managed by his pediatric allergist at an Allergy, Asthma, Immunology practice.

Jenny2x2 - I have to tell you my oldest has been like this for a while now too and I took him to the ped this evening.Guess what he pushed on his belly where he says it hurts and he says he has reflux.Its causing his him to cough causing irritation and it makes a cycle.So he is on prevacid for 2 weeks.I will let you know if it helps him.He said we should see a diff in 5-7 days.